Gentianella campestris, common name field gentian, is a small herbaceous biennial flowering plant in the Gentianaceae (gentian family) native to Europe. Its bluish-purple flowers contain four petals.
Description Gentianella campestris is a biennial plant of small size, reaching on average in height.Pignatti S. - Flora d'Italia – Edagricole – 1982. Vol. II, pag. 343 It has erect stems, simple or branched at the base and the leaves are opposite, ovate-lanceolate and unstalked. The flowers are in size. Their color is usually bluish-purple, but may be white, pink or lilac, with petals and sepals fused (gamopetalous and gamosepalous). There are four petals, ciliate at the base. There are also four sepals, which differ in size (two are wide and two narrow). The flowering period extends from June to October. The fruit is a capsule.
Distribution Field gentian is widespread in northern, central and southern Europe and its distribution range includes the European Alps and the Jura.
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Habitat This plant prefers moderately moist to rather dry substrates and neutral or acid soils of alpine meadows, lawns, pastures, forest clearings and roadsides, at an altitude of above sea level. On the Isle of Man the species flourishes at sea level on the Ayres National Nature Reserve.
Subspecies Gentianella campestris subsp. baltica (Murb.) Á. Löve & D. Löve Gentianella campestris subsp. campestris Gentianella campestris subsp. suecica (Froel.) Tzvelev Biolib
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G. campestris Plant Identification